A couple weeks ago, I spent my Saturday afternoon in Staten Island protesting the NYPD-caused choking death of Eric Garner. I did more than the mandatory minimum for guilty white liberals–I not only got a few protest buttons (which I handed out to other guilty white liberals), I also played guitar in a protest group that included folks from the Occupy Wall Street Guitarmy. Lots of renditions of ‘eyes on the prize’ along with a few new songs about Garner (and Michael Brown of Ferguson fame). I was called on to murder some bar chords.
And it wasn’t much of a march per se. The march was supposed to jump off going south toward the spot where Garner was choked to death. But nobody moved south. Reverend Al Sharpton and other luminaries were leading up the march, and after a certain amount of participant chanting ‘LET’S MARCH NOW’, his entourage and the other luminaries moved to the back of the march, which now became the front. And we headed down to City Hall, where we were treated to the requisite speeches and called on outrage. There were thousands on the streets, tightly packed (which is why it took so long to change direction). I was appalled by later news reports that stated ‘hundreds’ had participated.
And yes, I got my ‘Justice for Eric Garner’ button, fresh off the Local SEIU 1199 button stamp. There are some shots of me on social media (If you see a tubby older guy sporting a lefthander teardrop body Washburn, that would be me). I got a few anecdotes worth repeating. And my Eric Garner button will join a bunch of others in my big bucket full of protest buttons commemorating previous victims.
And now what?
The Garner case has been classified as a homicide–but the officer involved in the choke-hold is not under indictment. And the chances are very good in the Ferguson case that police officer Darren Wilson–Michael Brown’s shooter– cannot be brought to justice under Missouri’s version of ‘stand your ground’ laws. Meanwhile, the ubiquity of cell phone cameras (and the egregious actions they are continually capturing) mean that the public is seeing the way that the police behave when they are confronting people of color. One must conclude that we are seeing only the tip of the iceberg, and current practice isn’t all that different from Jim Crow days, even in ostensibly ‘liberal’ Northern cities. And there seems to be no recognition of the problem–even the perception of the problem. I remember the tempest in a teapot several years ago over an overtly racist parade float in Broad Channel NY (an enclave of police and firefighters) in the city, where a group of NYPD and NYFD members in blackface re-enacted the dragging death of an African American man in Texas. You’d think the fallout from such an event would have made it clear that such behavior was considered verboten. But last year NY Politico Dov Hikind dressed in Blackface for Purim and then gave a rousing ‘I’m sorry you were offended’ as if the blame for the offence fell on the person finding the behavior negative.
I see the convergence of the Garner Case (along with the renewed interest in other recent cop shootings in NY)and the cases in Ferguson to be ominous. The community leadership from people like Al Sharpton has not been stellar (I suspect the Reverend doesn’t want to rock the MSNBC boat too much). But at this point, what can you say? We live in a racially insensitive country, and nobody wants to go and call out white America for its continuing indifference to the murder and mistreatment of people of color.
And need I remind anyone that these attacks are piggy-backing on an economic landscape where African American unemployment employment is the worst it’s been in decades? the cutbacks in government employment are hitting minority communities much harder than they are affecting white communities. There’s going to come an inflection point where all this blows up, and nobody in the 1% should have the temerity to act surprised. Meanwhile, nobody wants to articulate a vision of how we get to a point where the police cease with the thuggish behavior they’re carrying out.
Monicaangela pointed out the divergence between minorities and the Police. I don’t disagree, but I think the police are simply reflecting the values of the society at large. If racism made police recruits ineligible, that would go a long way. But It’s like the ‘potter stewart’ definition for Pornography–“I know it when I see it”.
The more cameras the better; cockroaches always do their business in the dark and scurry away from the light.
“A whisper of horror.
That’s all we could hear.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
MBX, you mention all the cell phone cameras. I kinda like that they are out there. I feel that all police officers should have personal cameras and dash board cameras. Why? Because I think they will act properly when they know they are being filmed, and it will also protect them from false accusations, which there are to some extent.
All and all I like your article. Thanks for posting it.
I have been a member of this org for many years.
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“The answer to Americas problems are simply solved. Provide free and equal education for all.
From preschool to the highest levels of knowledge.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
Free Education…..YES….EQUAL EDUCATION….Yes….this will lead us down the road to success, but while we are providing that free and equal education we need to be sure the education we are providing is what is needed for the 21st century. We need to improve curriculum and also delivery of that curriculum. We need to scrutinize those that would become teachers. We should attempt to eliminate those who teach for a paycheck, we should eliminate those who have obvious bias, and also continue vigilance of those who are given the responsibility of a job of such importance. Education should change from what it is now. We really need to revamp the entire system IMHO. I watched this episode of TED talks recently and thought I would share it here. It really tackles some of the problems with education today and discusses improvements:
Monica if you compare and sit together an European, an Asian and an American student attending same grades, you would be appalled by how the education on this country has fallen behind.I watch TED constantly and yes my stepson also has to watch it….;)
Gentle friend monicaangela, thank you for your compassion, and the TED post.
I hadn’t seen it, so I watched it in its entirety.
And I’m sorry to say I was very disappointed in all the solutions proposed.
Although all the speakers were compassionate and well spoken, they all seemed to have deviated from the basic question of how we get children to do better in school.
Please don’t misunderstand me, the societal advancements they proposed are essential, especially equal education, but a fundamental problem will still remain.
Kids, generally, don’t like school.
So I will once again reveal how we can get most children to excel.
It’s called “Project Based Education”.
The world is a fantastic thing, with uncounted paths of interest and inquiry. We simply need to make learning interesting, for each individual student.
For example, let’s say you had two 1st grade math students. One loved dolls, the other shining knights in armor. Both of them hated math.
You would give the doll enthusiast partial instructions to build a doll dream house, and all the necessary materials. The student would be required, and driven, to figure out the missing instructions so they could complete the construction, which would require significant math. And after basic construction, bonuses could be offered for more advanced tasks. For example figuring out which floor would be able to support a Jacuzzi, with a real miniature Jacuzzi, and real water.
Similarly you could give the knights in shining armor enthusiast partial instructions to build a castle, with all necessary materials, again requiring them to engage in significant math. And perhaps offer a bonus for figuring out how far they need to pull back a catapult to hit a target outside the castle walls. With a real miniature rubber band catapult.
Of course you would also give students small rewards along the way as they complete milestones towards the completion of their projects. They could be anything from extra points to gold stars, children simply need acknowledgement, which for most is great encouragement.
The result is that students will think they are playing, when in fact they are learning.
Of course there are a plethora of interests to engage, but if we truly value education the extra cost is irrelevant. And the payoff, if any need one, will be content human beings, and greatly increased productivity and progress across all fields of knowledge, art, and philosophy.
ST
“Let us teach the children according to their own passions, not our own. This will, assuredly, nurture all intellect.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
Well said SearingTruth, education should not be for profit. Education raises the level of society for all.
An undeniable and compassionate truth gentle friend S-Man. Thank you.
ST
“The rich have food, shelter, education, and health care.
The working and poor do not.
Because we gave billionaires trillions.
And the working and poor nothing.
And that’s as complicated as it gets.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
This trend of monetizing so many institutions is killing us:
Prisons
Healthcare
Education
Etc.
For profit in these instances = against people.
Gentle friend S-Man, you are a treasure of humanity.
Please never abandon us. We would have one less conscience to celebrate.
ST
“Perhaps profit should be the least of our concern.
And humanity the most.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
Your piece resonated.
Not long ago (upon the death of jazz bassist Charlie Hayden), I ‘refreshed my memory’ before writing a column piece for our local newspaper. I did this by playing some his work (and political statements) in the ‘Liberation Music Orchestra’. In that group, Hayden was the ‘leader’, however Carla Bley was an important arranger.
I began to learn a LOT about the state of our race relations. First (of course), there was the fact that Hayden (Midwestern white kid with a country music background) was picked up by Ornette Coleman (Black, avant-garde). I understood that part, because I followed jazz in the late 50’s and early 60’s. It was understood that music was the great equalizer. JJ Johnson played for Stan Kenton, I could walk into a dive on E. 55th st. in Cleveland Ohio, and listen to Dizzy Gillespie. If you loved the music, you were accepted, no matter your race.
But, then, I began to research a track on the last Liberation Orchestra recording, because I found it fascinating. I wanted to learn to play it. It was a segment of a piece called ‘America the Beautiful’ (given that this was a protest album, irony might have been intended) called ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’. I soon discovered that the tune was a hymn, and, from the comments, it was considered to be the “black national anthem” I was amazed, because, as a music style, it was so European. Yes, it was a bit more complex than most hymn tunes (which is why it attracted my attention), but there was NOTHING (musically) that suggested African roots.
I doubted the authenticity of the “Black National Anthem” claim, but then discovered that the tune was written by an African American, John Rosamond Johnson, a successful song writer in NYC, who supplied the music to a poem written by his brother. This happened in 1900, over a century ago!
Let my explain and expand. The poem and tune were written less than 50 years after the American Civil War that freed those of African origin from slavery (and, a particularly cruel version of slavery that consigned the children of slave to be slaves, as well… a FAR more heinous institution that that of either the Greek of Roman era). In that short time, one brother became a respected academic (though in a Black college), and the other became a songwriter in New York that wrote for both black and white audiences (and wrote a particularly powerful hymn tune, now in the official Episcopal songbook).
The ‘European’ nature of ‘Lift up every voice and Sing’ is explained by the fact that the mother of those two boys taught them that European culture was to be emulated and valued.
About the same time, “the blues” was discovered by Handy in the Mississippi delta region. Handy was also an African American who led a band that played for both white and black audiences, and he only (at first) played ‘white’ music, because that was all he knew. Being a black southerner, however, he toured, primarily, black southern venues and (it is said) did a ‘gig’ in a tiny corner of the delta, where he was asked.. “Hey, I really like your music, but why don’t you play any of ours?’ He responded, ‘What’s yours?’, at which point a number of local musicians assembled and produced what he considered to be the strangest assembly of major and minor chords he had ever heard. Handy wrote (for his band) a tune that encapsulated that music in the song, ‘St. Louis Blues’
And, the acceptance of that new music was so rapid during the ‘Progressive Era’, that, by the end of the 1920’s, ‘American popular music’ became distinctive BECAUSE of it’s integration of African and European elements.
Let me recap. Within 60 years of the Civil War, African Americans had accepted (and emulated) the European culture of white America, and those of European heritage had discovered (and emulated) the musical culture of those few African Americans who had preserved their musical culture. In other words, a CENTURY ago, we were on the verge of mutual ethnic admiration and a melding of black and white.
WHAT HAPPENED!! I really don’t know, but it seems our country is sliding rapidly back into the 19th century.
This is an excellent almost abstract response to the article. I feel privileged to have access to such a historical account of a hymn that I have sung and played almost all my life. Thank you for that.
I am in agreement on your assumption that somewhere along the line of our evolution, some factor interceded and we began a course of devolution instead. I attribute it to greed, to capitalism, and the need for those in power to separate people of color in order to maintain a cheap labor force, a political whipping boy to help guide/steer those whites who might be willing to allow the assimilation of other cultures. I blame those that have since this country was born strove to maintain a dominate role in American society. Our history is a terrible one. A history that our system of education is too shy or too controlled to tell the truth about. Thank you for shedding some light on this from a different angle. I hope you don’t mind if I copy this and discuss it with friends. If you would rather I didn’t, please let me know.
My personal opinion of this comment is: It is absolutely brilliant!! I would love to see you write an article for Planetpov expounding upon this subject, including more intimate detail of your knowledge of music, jazz in particular. I feel from reading what you have written here, you could give us a personal historical tour that would be of value for all who would take the time to read it. 🙂
Agreed on that Daedalus should write and article.
Hi MA
Music the great expressionist media. Yes it is but you must understand what it says. Many times i have asked other people what the song was about even instrumentals. i have seen some musician comment that what the public think it means was not any thing like want it was written to portray. See ( NO one know what it like, to be the sad man, the bad man, behind blue eyes) I know the meaning of the writer and saw the show he expressed it in. Guess the answer monicaangle or any one else. There is a lack of understanding due to past teachings from parents and even music teachers. OH do not let the administrations go on this also.
Even having a minor in music there are certain types that do not move me well. Some are racial in nature i will admit that. I did learn some of that from my parents. Oh a lot more from 1- 12 admins and some music teachers.
I did learn to tune out my parent. the curriculum on 1-12 did not change but the kids change and parties played more diverse music.
IN college They separated the music many ways but always covered it is a cultural thing no a racial thing.
I still do not like certain types of music but it is now a matter of structure.
SO what does education need.
Revamp the admins with tests that have racial questions in them along with all kinds of other questions.
the same with teachers. people need to pass the test to get these types of jobs. A good score helps you get the job.
Also the public schools should not teach by religious theories or beliefs.
Police the same things above.
Now you have the evaluation of the test by trained psychologist. If you pass you have a start at an inclusive teachings.
Now teaching curriculum’s should take into account what students are good at in skills test AND their interest in a career. This will help on the roundness of teachings but most the time some other courses are needed to get the over all effect in public junior highs and high school high school.
Also teaching that black represents bad. White represents good needs to fade away. A long task mainly from religious and parent teachings. Being taught from my father and grand father on native american indian did remove much of the racial parts, for white was bad and color good. SO the teaching each side helped me.
I hope this helps others decide these things are need.
Copy away, MonicaAngela. And, discuss at length. I wish I could be there to share in the communal insight. I wish there was a way for you to let me know the result.
As for ‘brilliant’, I’m blushing (as a male). I really think that term needs to be reserved for AdLib (our blog’s lifeblood), who seems to have the ability to skewer hypocrisy and bullpucky with humor in a most adroit way.
Thanks for your note of support.
Thank you for your permission Daedalus, I will truly enjoy using your comment as a topic for conversation, first with my significant other, and then with friends this Friday evening when we get together.
I will be happy to take notes, maybe I’ll even try to get everyone’s permission to allow me to record our conversation, that way I will be better able to write something regarding the communal insight.
You are absolutely correct regarding AdLib, he does have a way of utilizing humor to bring you in, get his point across and leave you thinking about the subject he has just discussed. I enjoy his articles and comments; however, your comment in conjunction with the article it referred to went a long way in doing some of the same things AdLib does in his articles.
As you discussed “The Bubbling Cauldrons of Ferguson and NYC” in a round about way your discussion took me first away from the subject, almost started me thinking, what does this have to do with the subject, and then later I came to realize that you had winded your way down a road that investigated causation. Superb, and to top it all off, you did it with two of my favorite subjects, music and culture. Thanks again, I truly enjoyed it! 🙂
Interesting. I used to belong to a really lefty Methodist Church and ‘Lift Every Voice And Sing’ was held up as an anthem of the old AME (African Methodist Episcopal) church. We sang it frequently. I thought it came earlier than 1900.Thanks for the info.
Daedalus, great comment. Music, although so often a product of individual cultures, transcends all other aspects of cultural divisions, in my opinion.
Music is not intellectual, but goes beyond mere thought. It touches some part of us that doesn’t rely on symbols and meanings. This is why, in my opinion, people of different cultures and races can really appreciate music that is a blend of influences.
When I was in high school, I was in the school band. This was during a time of heightened racial tensions in the US (some things never change), and the band was a mix of roughly half black and half white students. We all got along great. We hung out together, laughed together, partied together and so on. In no other area of my high school experience did this happen. Of course we were a group, a unified number of students that played music. It was special.
This is one reason for my great love of music. It’s a shame that cultures can’t relate on a level that they do where music is concerned.
Excellent comment KT, and believe me, cultures do relate on the same level in many aspects of life on this planet, they often relate on many topics just as they do when it comes to music.
Many cultures are unified on many topics that concern the world today, however, you will not get that news in the MSM or anyplace else as long as the government and others can keep you from it.
I am a part of a multiracial, multicultural family, I have relatives that come from many different cultures, I am in contact with most of them and we agree on just about everything up to and including music and so do our friends that exponential increase includes a lot of people; however, as I said you won’t get breaking news regarding this fact, the powers that be won’t allow it. 🙂
KT, think about our(your) weekend music thread. There is so many different kinds of music. I for one enjoy most all. Thanks BTW for bringing the weekend music to us.
Deadalus, I wish that we could always live like the music lovers in your comment. “If you loved the music, you were accepted, no matter your race.”
To me that should be everyone. I can’t think of anyone I know who doesn’t like music. I even used to roller skate with a deaf lady who could feel the music even though she could not hear it. She was an awesome skater too. Of course that was many many years ago.
Thank you gentle friend Misterbadexample. Well spoken, and I agree completely.
ST
“Desperation.
And desperate crimes.
Always together.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
It’s going to take a long, long time for things to change for the better. That is not to say that people should not stop voicing their outrage at such behavior by those who are supposed to protect us.
Our entire system of government/media is broken. Until more and more people start getting off their lazy asses and into the voting booths, not much is going to change.
Marches and public protests do not work any longer in a broken system such as ours. Our only real power resides in the voting booth. It also resides in information. Facts, not propaganda and 24/7 cable tv bullshit.
Monica is absolutely spot on when she says that education is the key. We need better education in our schools and better education of those who have long been out of school. Ignorance is so pernicious, and the powers that be would love nothing more than a public that knows as little as necessary for them to keep progress from ever occurring.
We are at war. A silent, pernicious, ongoing war with those who seek to keep America for themselves. When no shots a heard, no bombs bursting, people remain unaware. I do not want shots fired or bombs bursting, but I do want to somehow create an explosion of knowledge and information. I want people everywhere in America, rich, middle or poor, to understand the dire importance of the necessity of participation in this thing we call democracy. People cannot remain complacent and ignorant about the government and the system used to keep the wheels turning. Especially when it is they that are suffering the most.
Thank you gentle friend KillgoreTrout. I couldn’t agree more.
Especially about the silent war. Very well spoken. Thank you.
ST
“We could not reason for peace, for our children had been mercilessly slaughtered in war.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
I am UTTERLY happy you are here, my angel of peace.
Gentle friend EXFANOFARIANA, I hope your brother would have approved.
I am so sorry you lost him.
ST
“Compassion.
If we are to become angels.”
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
He’d have .Definitely! PEACE!
Exfan, sorry you lost your brother i did not know this!
long life!!
Couple years ago….brain cancer.He was a healthy nut, an athlete, never drunk nor smoked.He never did suffer, actually.14 months on a hospital – BUT – he was a Canadian citizen.Got the BEST treatment and compassionate medics there.An helicopter lifted him to be checked by a great brain oncologist in Montreal.One of the reasons I get so furious on certain American blogs from goobers who insist Canadians have to wait 6 months to be seen by a specialist. From the day he called to tell me he has had a twitch on his left arm for a while, I told him call 911.”You could be having a cardiac arrest/heart attack.” He was immediately admitted to the hospital.Then all sort of tests/exams ensued.Do you imagine of what would happen here? They would kick him out after 6 months , when all hopes were gone.And cancel his healthcare…Hugs
HI Exfan, thanks for sharing and agree on health care to the max. I am so glad he was a great guy and did not suffer.
Hugs always my dear friend.
Thanks for your kind thoughts, my dear friend.He actually went into a coma on his last 3 days and passed away peacefully. It was a hard blow to a mother, to have to witness her first son – or any – to be buried (actually we all opt for cremation)…Two more years and she also, passed on her sleep, at around 5:30 am.And we had spoke on the phone the night before.I miss both terribly…./My dad died in 1980 – he was a lunatic for speed, as yours truly is, and had a terrible accident with his motorcycle in the Italian Alps.
HI again great friend. Again thanks for sharing. Yes when love ones die it is hard to not miss them. Both my parents have gone from this world also. Mom in 1998 from breast cancer she went with very little pain from self medication and dad in 2000. I do miss them all the time.
I am so sorry for you too! Hope Del has found some peace ……I got the email from you! Will reply later! Prosper and live long – IF HEALTHY.:)Hugs.
OK Exfan, Yes DeL has found much of that peace now. OK on e mail i will look for it!
One statement in your comment really stood out for me, KT. And that was that marches and public protests don’t work any more.
I agree. That doesn’t mean that I think people shouldn’t get out into the street when they have something to say. But the people in power have found so many effective ways to relegate demonstrators to the realm of almost total invisibility that demonstrations now are almost completely futile.
For starters, “they” control the media. So — no matter how big the demonstration in real life — if it’s never seen on the MSM, it just as well might not have happened. The recent NY demonstrations on climate change are an example. Almost half a million people. Virtually no MSM coverage.
Then the powers-that-be figured out that if the protesters could be kept at a considerable distance from the situation/event that they were protesting, they could rant all they wanted and the participants (whether it be the GOP conventioneers or participants in an economic summit) would never hear them or be bothered by them. Sort of the equivalent of a crying, hungry little kid being removed to a third floor bedroom while the adults partied loudly below.
And finally, as we saw in Ferguson and in the Occupy movement, there are very cooperative police departments who are supplied with military equipment that puts them in a position to massively out-gun any demonstration. If it ever came to a violent show-down, it’s pretty obvious who would come out on top, no?
So as you say — this leaves us with the power of education and the power of the vote. And those are pretty formidable powers (unless we allow the right to hijack either or both of them). I wonder if we could also add in the tactic of the boycott. And also of unionization. Capitalists seem to understand this economic language even when the language of human rights goes right over their heads.
When so much power rests in the hands of corporations and corrupt politicians, we can’t afford to overlook any of the few tools we do have.
Protest marches as you say don’t appear to be as effective as they were in the past, however I believe it is because we have disconnected protest with what really counts. We protested in the past on days that would hurt the profits of the corporations. Today if we look at which protest get MSM coverage we will notice that it is mostly coverage for ratings rather than to educate the public as to the grievance of those protesting. We generally see a police action rather than a protest march, MSM loves to discount police arrest, tear gas usage, vandalism, etc., anything other than the reason for the protest.
I believe protesters need to start taking time from work to protest as the fast food workers did recently. Did the MSM cover their protest? Yes, why, because they were costing the corporations who owned the restaurants money, they were losing profits and receiving bad publicity. This IMHO is what needs to happen every time a protest is planned, not on the weekend when everyone is mostly away from their jobs, but during the week when most people will have to miss a day of work to attend.
“These walkouts haven’t led to any unionized McDonald’s or Taco Bell franchises yet. But at this early date, it’s more useful to think of them as the spearhead of a broader living wage movement that has also seen retail workers at stores such as Walmart protest for better pay. Framed that way, the effort has been startlingly effective. For the cost of a few Super Bowl ads, the SEIU and some dedicated fast food workers have managed to completely rewire how the public and politicians thinks about wages.
Consider the numbers. Over roughly the past two years, 13 states have increased their minimum wage, as have 10 city and county governments, according to a tally by NBC News. Seattle voted to raise its citywide minimum to $15 an hour by 2018; San Francisco residents will vote on whether to do the same in November. The mayors of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago have all backed a $13 wage floor. The president has come out in favor of a $10.10 national minimum. And just in case you were looking for a rough barometer of overall public interest in the issue, even Google searches for the phrase “minimum wage” have been consistently more common since the start of 2013. You don’t have to think a $15 minimum wage is a brilliant idea (personally, I don’t) to admire the efficacy of the effort.”
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/09/07/the_fast_food_strikes_a_stunning_success_for_organized_labor.html
I believe protest marches need to evolve, the strategy needs to change, and believe me, if you hit the owners corporations in the pocket, they do respond along with their corporate hacks the MSM.
Right, monica. What you describe is really more on the order of a strike and boycott process with informational picketing.
Capitalists’ only emotional currency is money. That’s the only language they speak. And that’s where we have to hit them.
So happy you agree Kes, I have been trying to promote this idea for some time now. Many in my surroundings appear to be afraid because the economy for some is in such a bad condition. Laborers are many, jobs are few, nobody wants to take the chance of losing their job. I continue to insist that if enough people begin taking part in this action they won’t be able to fire anybody.
Employees need to organize around the fact that all will be protected, if one is fired because they took off and went to the protest, the rest should remain off the job until that person is rehired and so forth. Some type of push back needs to happen and soon, if not, corporations will continue to exploit workers and deny those who do have a job the opportunity to organize.
One Question MA, You do not like 15 $ an hr minimum wage.
THe rest was great!!
That was a quote from the article RSGmusic. I believe an increase to $15 per hr. would be great to start, but feel that if McDonald’s can pay 21 dollars per hr. in Denmark, why can’t they pay the same for their employees in the U.S.? A minimum wage is relevant to the cost of living. In this economy $15 per hr. would average out to $30,000 per yr. That isn’t very much for a person with a family, especially when you think of the fact that the $30,000 per year would be gross pay and not actual take home salary.
Hi MA , i totally agree with this post. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
long life!!
In Europe we have strong UNIONS,MA.
MA, I see the lethargy and lack of interest and I am dismayed by it, on this new generation.All they care are their stupid games and/or run to get the newest iPhone6.My stepson also wanted to join the gang.We absolutely said NO.They have no conscience of what this exaggerate consumerism is doing to the planet. Here in FL, I saw only – at the most – 15 teens protesting and demanding for immediate actions on climate change, last Sunday with 350.org.I call them the zombie generation.I was relatively young when Nam happened but my dad got us fired up and we all joined thousands of protesters.This is the generation of “me me me…..They will ultimately pay the hefty price.
Some in the X generation are being bombarded with distractions. We, those of us who have the responsibility need to continue to remind them of the fact that the planet as is will soon be theirs. We don’t generally speak to them in terms they can understand.
We don’t often take the time to explain to them the importance of the economy and holding the banks responsible for the recession/depression we just experienced. We try not to worry them with issues of economy or war or domestic or foreign policy when they are young children.
When they become teens it is too late, they are now interested in things that concern them for the moment, the future for them appears to be a long way off, and they trust us to protect them. They trust us to fix the problems we have caused.
Those of us who continue to try need to be honest and let the next generation and the one after them know that we are unable to fix these problems without them, and even though some of them cannot vote at this time, we need to continue to educate them so that when they can vote they understand the importance of that responsibility.
I believe in educating children, I have spoken with my son about politics since he was in 4th grade, he is an adult with children of his own now, and he is doing the same with them. I truly wish the schools would return to teaching Civics. I believe that would go a long way in encouraging the younger generation to take responsibility at an early age.
My stepson’s mother’s interest is mainly European Royals.She is a high school drop out with no interest in furthering her culture or education.He came to me when he was 14/15 and I never get tired of MAKING him read every piece about the imminent dangerous of climate change.I subscribe to an endless mags on the horrific warming of this planet.We do not have another one.I 100%00 agree with you: education is the key to a better future.Our generation always took civics…Not anymore. They are, as you well put it, completely distracted by the products the major culprits of this process advertises.He is well aware of it but I don’t see himself getting involved more than reading the blogs and articles on this issue.Because I INSIST. Perhaps, let’s hope so, some of this data will rub on himself in the future.There was a very interesting article on Vanity Fair, give or take 4/5 issues ago on how too, these new billionaires building mansions on both east and west coasts are already causing massive erosion on cliffs and how their “castles” are about to totally fall down into the ocean .
Hey Monica! Do you mean “Millenials?” The gen Xers are in their 30s now, possibly their 40s.
I can hardly keep up with these generational nom de plumes! 😎
Hey Homie. Your point about the media not properly covering protests is spot on. They really trivialize such important events, by not accurately reporting the number of protesters and concentrate on the more trivial aspects of protests. This is the main reason I feel that protest marches and events don’t have much effectiveness any longer.
I do think they still serve a purpose, but the results have been greatly weakened, in my opinion. Unfortunately, what really gets the media’s attention are the bad things that can happen. If protests became violent and people and property were harmed, the coverage by the media would be quite different. It’s a truly sad state of affairs, for sure.
Peaceful protest is always the ideal, but it is the violence that gets the attention. That is a very sad commentary on the state of our media these days.
This is why I can only conclude that the voting booth is our only source of real power left. Factual information, education and awareness are essential in bringing about any progress in our society and political system. We the people have more power than those in control would want us to believe. The powers that be go to great length and expense to have us believe we are powerless. Sadly, many people in America have been bamboozled into thinking their situations are hopeless. About 60% is the number of Americans who don’t “bother,” to vote. Like Samuel Jackson famously said in 2012, it’s time for the people to WAKE THE FUCK UP! 😎
Sorry I have to respond here after this wonderful comment, but yep, you’re correct on the mistake I made regarding gen xer’s. I guess I just gave up my age, and my understanding of the classifications. I’m part of the boomers, my son is part of generation X, and my grandchildren would be the millennial generation. I’m like you, hard to keep all this stuff together. In the future I will refer to the age I am speaking of by numbers you know like the 30 somethings, the teens, those from 0 to 12 etc. 🙂 Thanks for the correction. 🙂
KT, totally agree with you that protest marches don’t bring change. I think that’s always been true, though. What protest marches do is they make the people sitting at home realize that others share their feelings and they aren’t alone. I was the only person in my office who thought George Bush was a war criminal–it was nice to go to a protest in DC and find that 100,000+ people agreed with me.
The problem is, most ‘Muricans think the protest is the end-point. My boomer friends marched on Washington to end the Vietnam war, and were astonished when their huge turnout made no difference. What’s important is what happens AFTER a protest march. The people organizing the event have to plan for the next step. Al Sharpton had a captive audience at the Eric Garner march, and I didn’t hear much except the usual rhetoric. the ‘leaders’ such as they exist, and the politicians don’t understand the anger coming out of people over police misconduct. At some point, somebody’s going to start shutting down bridges and tunnels with demonstrators.